By CATRINA FRANCIS
Gold Standard Senior Staff Writercatrina.s.francis2.civ@mail.mil
People with expired and unused prescription drugs have an opportunity to return those medications during the National Prescription Take Back Day Saturday in the Exchange lobby from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
National Prescription Take Back Day was initiated Sept. 24, 2010, by the Drug Enforcement Administration to ensure prescription drugs were properly destroyed without harming the environment or water systems.
Kevin Corbin, Army Substance Abuse program manager, said 647,211 pounds of unused prescription medications were turned in from 5,683 sites in the United States in 2013.
“(We’ve had) seven (Prescription Take Back Days) since its inception and (more than) 3.4 million pounds (of prescription drugs) have been turned into the DEA,” explained Corbin.
Sue Lowrie, an Army Substance Abuse Program prevention coordinator, stressed the importance of turning in unused and expired medications.
“It’s amazing the kind of drugs that come in, even controlled drugs,” said Lowrie. “It’s tempting for kids to get their hands on (the prescription drugs) and take them to a pill party.”
Corbin and Lowrie said over-the-counter medications can also be turned in, but illicit drugs or needles are not accepted.
Lowrie pointed out that the Medical Activity will be on hand to answer specific questions about medications.
For more information about Prescription Take Back Day, call (502) 624-1537 or (502) 624-1532.